Mike Field Releases New Album - True Stories

"The band is so tight you can't even run a razor blade through it"
~ John Apice, No Depression

Mike Field - True Stories

TORONTO – Award-winning, Toronto-based artist, trumpeter and composer MIKE FIELD has a brilliant new album TRUE STORIES – his fourth to date – that he’ll be releasing on Tuesday, October 30th at The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar in Toronto. True Stories is somewhat of a departure from previous albums and is a mix of jazz, world and punk. Produced by Dominic Mancuso and Field, the album will be available at all major digital distributors including iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify. For more information please visit www.mikefieldjazz.com.

Jazz man Mike Field’s fourth offering True Storiesis a delightful departure from his previous, highly acclaimed albums: Attic Jump, which won the 2017 Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Jazz Vocal and earned two Independent Music Award (IMA) nominations, plus topped Canadian and international jazz charts;Ashes; and sophomore album Rush Mode, which won five Aurora Awards, two Independent Music Video Awards (IMVAs), and was nominated for two IMAs.

More often on the road than not, Mike Field writes about what he experiences while touring. True Stories is a mix of experience and fantasy. It's the ultimate musical hybrid, that could fit on a playlist next to Latin, Klezmer, jazz, surf, punk, and novelty songs. The big feature on True Stories, is the unmistakable change of direction and the fact that Field has embraced punk/rock energy and has included his adept vocals. There's a real strong element of novelty with very clever and skillfully written lyrics that convey an infectious sense of fun, and propelled by Field's verbose, rapid-fire delivery. He’s finally singing and expressing himself more fully, and one of the main themes throughout is that he loves the romance and adventure of his life as a travelling musician, where he's at home on the road.

The opening track "Mechanics," perks up one’s ears immediately as Field rocks harder than anything he's ever done, on this rollicking punk/ska/jazz tune about a space mechanic who fixes rockets. High-energy trumpet soars and raw, passionate vocals kick butt. "The Hotel By The Mansion" is a circus calliope gone mad. This song is aptly fueled by Field's quick-fire vocals and fittingly so, as this klezmer-tinged tune is about a woman with fire in her hair. As Field playfully sings, "What do ya do with a hot hairdo? You charge admission of a dollar or two."

"Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano" is a high-energy cover of the Neapolitan (not Italian) composition penned by Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno, and beautifully arranged by Field. Made famous by Sophia Loren in the 1960 film It Started in Naples, and more recently by Rosario Fiorello in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, the song is an irresistible, fun-filled, all-dressed slice of Americano vintage rock ’n’ roll with Italiano-café-music crust, a high-spirited romp that rides a twanging guitar, melodious accordion solo, and Mike Field’s pungent vocals.

"The Ghost And The Paperboy" is more of a swing-style klezmer/rockabilly tune a la Stray Cats, closer to Field's former style and talks about an old man who comes back as a ghost, looking for a new wife. The guitars are more surf than punk on this one and it features accordion riffs throughout. Field’s vocal style and timbre suit the song "Magnolia" perfectly. Somewhere in the high-energy fun zone between wild rockabilly and boppin' big-band jazz, the song features the twangy groove of the former, and the bold, brassy horn charts of the latter. It's a lovely little novelty tune, with killer guitar and trumpet solos, and an all-out vocal performance – in fact, the first to ever be recorded by Field .

"Out In The World" is as close as Field gets to a heartfelt pop tune about travelling, and even deeper, about living an artist's life free from the "short leash" of the nine-to-five world. Bongos, shakers, and a crazy organ sound provide compelling sonic touches. "West Side Of Town" features a twinkling piano sound like that of Billy Joel and it’s about Field’s favourite area in his home town. "Autumn Lovesong" is exactly that. A Fall ballad, with piano at its core, this is a bitter-sweet song about autumn, family, and the fleeting passage of time.

Mike Field gratefully acknowledges the support of The Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.

THE BAND:
Mike Field (lead vocals & trumpet)
Russ Boswell (bass on all except 3, 5 & 6)
Mark Camilleri (piano & organ)
Jerry Caringi (accordion)
Davide DiRenzo (drums)
George Koller (bass on 3, 5 & 6)
Rosendo "Chendy" León (percussion)
Dominic Mancuso (guitar on 4 & 9)
Tony Zorzi (guitars)

CREDITS:
Produced by Dominic Mancuso & Mike Field

All tracks composed by Mike Field, except
Track 3 composed by Renato Carosone & Nicola Salerno
All songs arranged by Mike Field & Dominic Mancuso
Bed tracks recorded by Jeremy Darby at Canterbury Music Company
Overdubs recorded by Dominic Mancuso at dot productions
Piano recorded by Mark Camilleri at Imagine Sound Studios
Piano and organ on tracks 2 & 7 recorded by Miles Wilkinson & Dan Sinasac at DanLyn Studios
Mixed by John “Beetle” Bailey at The Drive Shed
Mastered by Peter Letros at Wreckhouse Mastering
Background vocals by Tania Cologna, Dominic Mancuso, Vincenzo Sarta & Sarah Saskin
Artwork by Mangacamp & Antonio García (kitsunekei1)

IN CONCERT:

Tue, Oct 30, 2018 | The Rex Hotel | Toronto, ON
Sat, Nov 17, 2018 | Vernon Jazz Club | Vernon, BC
Fri, Nov 23, 2018 | Chez Stewart & Owen | Salmon Arm, BC
Sat, Nov 24, 2018 | The Dream Café | Penticton, BC
Thu, Apr 25, 2019 | Bremen Exhibition Centre | Bremen, Germany
Fri, Apr 26, 2019 | Bremen Exhibition Centre | Bremen, Germany
Sat, Apr 27, 2019 | Bremen Exhibition Centre | Bremen, Germany
Sun, Apr 28, 2019 | Bremen Exhibition Centre | Bremen, Germany
Sat, May 4, 2019 | Alten Synagoge | Kitzingen, Germany
Sun, May 5, 2019 | Sachsenarena | Riesa, Germany
Wed, May 8, 2019 | Kul-Tür e.V. | Rahden, Germany
Sat, May 11, 2019 | Landesgartenschau | Frankenberg, Germany
Wed, May 15, 2019 | Jazz und Folk Cuxhaven e.V. | Cuxhaven, Germany
Fri, May 17, 2019 | Alter Bahnhof | Dissen, Germany
Sat, May 18, 2019 | Ratskeller | Crailsheim, Germany

 

ARTIST LINKS:

www.mikefieldjazz.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGqk7pfJqsg
http://www.facebook.com/mikefieldjazz
Twitter: @mikefieldjazz

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